Highway signal



- March 3, 1936. J. H. BURDEN HIGHWAY SIGNAL Filed April 23, 1935JQPPEMIZflWdGIL Patented Mar. 3, 1936 p v 2,033,024

UNITED. STATES PTENT HIGHWAY SIGNAL Jarrett Hiram Burden, Mount vernon,llll., as-

signor of one-half to Claude C. Hall, Mount Vernon, Ill.

Application April 23, 1935, Serial No. 17,871

4 Claims. (01.40-125) This invention relates to a signal device for beotherwise shaped to facilitate erection of the use on highways toindicate to approaching trafllc signal device at the point of use. Thestem 6 is that an obstruction, such as a parked car, men so shaped thatwhen in one extreme position it at work, etc. is located a shortdistance ahead. will rest within the sleeve 2 and aline with the Manyaccidents have been caused by the enpintle l and when in its otherextreme position it forced parking of vehicles on highways, particuwillbe folded so as to extend along the pintle as larly at night and it isdesigned to provide a signal shown by dottedlines in Figure 1.especially useful to motorists who desire to warn Sleeve 2, which isjoined to the pintle, can be approaching tramc that a car is parkedahead. made integral with one edge portion of a wing 9- 10 A furtherobject is to provide a signal device formed preferably of asuitablyshaped metal plate 10 which can befolded compactly and thus easily andthis wing can be provided with additional transported in a vehicle, itbeing possible to quickshorter sleeves Ill spaced apart and also joinedto 1y unfold the device and set it up for use. the pintle l. Anotherwing I I preferably of the A still further object is to provide thesignal same shape and material as the wing it isprodevice withindicating characters such as letters vided with sleeves l2 rotatablymounted on the or the like formed preferably of reflectors so that pntle 5 between t e Sleeves 0 and 2 50 t at the they will be clearlylegible when illuminated by two wings are thus hingedly connected andcan the headlights of an approaching vehicle. fold one upon the other. Aspring i3 is prefer- A still further object is to provide a signaldeably coiled about a portion of the pintle and has vice one surface ofwhich can be utilized for holdits terminals 4 xt nd d n pp sit d rectons 20 ing advertising matter so that the complete deand bearing againsthe re pe iv win s o as to vice, which can be inexpensively manufacturedhold them normally sprea apart and ncan thus be distributed either free,or at a, very tiallyin alinement, their relative movement under lowcost, because ofits advertising value. the a ti n f th p g being t p dyth With the foregoing and other objects in view in s comi to et er at tose edges from which 25 which will appear as the description proceeds,the Sleeves a ext dedthe invention consists of certain novel details ofWhen the Wings are folded together the Sp n construction andcombinations of parts hereinw e P d under increased tension d ey aftermore fully described and pointed out in the be held folded by means of apivoted p l5 39 claims, it being understood that changes may be conne eto One Of the Plates and adapted to be made in the construction andarrangement of swung into position so as straddle both p ates partswithout departing from the spirit of the inw n brought together folded sn Figures 2 vention as claimed. and 3.

In th accompanying drawing t preferred Arranged on those faces of thewings or plates form of the invention has been shown 9 and l l which areadapted to be folded together, 35

In said drawing is any suitable arrangement of characters which Figure 1is a front elevation of the signal device can be in the form of s, fi esorsymbols. opened for use. In the drawing there have been shown lettersFigure 2 is an elevation showing the same colcomprising the Words p d ndthese 40 lapsed or folded for convenient storage. ette s a e formed fbuttons containing 40 Figure. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3 a,flectors and of any suitable color so that when the Figure 2. headlightof an approaching vehicle is directed Figure 4 is an enlarged section online H, -against the open signal device the letters formed Figure 1. bythe buttons will become illuminated and can be Referring to the figuresby characters of refer readily deciphered by the approaching motorist.45 ence, I designates a pintle in the form of a rod For the purpose oflightening the device slots one end of which is formed with asleeve-like ex- I! can be formed in the wings and these slots tension 2having a longitudinal slot 3 from the are also advantageous because theypermit light sides of which extend ears 4. Supported in this rays topass in either direction through the signal slotted portion of thesleeve with one end pivotally device to serve as a warning. v 50connected to the ears as indicated at 5, is astem Normally the signaldevice is folded as shown 6 having an intermediate ofiset portion 1proin Figures 2 and 3. Thus itcan be conveniently viding a step or footpiece while the free end of carried in a vehicle because of the smallspace this stem is preferably pointed as shown at 8 alwhich it willoccupy.

though it is to he understood that said end can Should a situationdevelop wherein it becomes 55 desirable to set up the signal device towarn of approaching danger, it merely becomes necessary to shift theclip l5 so as to release the plates or wings and permit them to swingopen under the action of spring I3. ,Stem 6 is then swung retained inextended position. After the parts have thus been adjusted the stem isforced into the surface of theroad or into any suitable supportingmember resting thereon. To facilitate the erection of the signal theoffset portion I has been provided so that a foot of the user can beemployed for exerting downward pressure upon the stem.

After the signal device has served its purpose and its use is no longernecessary it can be quickly collapsed or folded as heretofore explainedand stored. for future use.

.As has already been stated those surfaces of the wings opposite theones on which the buttons l6 are displayed can be made fiat so thatsuitable display matter for advertising purposes can be applied thereto.v

The slots [1 not only have the advantage heretofore stated but alsoreduce wind resistance so that the danger of the signal being blown downis reduced greatly.

What is claimed is: 1. 'A signal device of the class described includinghlngedly connected wings foldable one upon the other, an indicatorcarried by the wings, a spring placed under tension by the folding ofthe wings, a ground engaging supportingstem joined thereto and foldableinto position therebetween, means for detachably holding the wings infolded position, said spring constituting means for automatically movingthe wings apart when relieved from the restraining action ofthe holdingmeans and means for stopping the relative movement of the wings whenbrought into alinement;

2. A signal device of the class described including hlngedly connectedwings, a stem hingedly connected thereto and foldable therebetween,

means for holding the stem against accidental displacement wheninextreme unfolded position, means for holding the wings foldedtogether, means for automatically moving the wings apart when releasedfrom the restraining action of said holding means, and a reflectingindicator carried by the wings and adapted to be exposed by theunfolding of the wings.

3. A signal device including hingedlyconnected wings, a'n indicatingmeans thereon adapted to be exposed when the wings'ar'e unfolded, meansfor holding the wings folded together, means for automatically unfoldingthe wings to expose the indicating means when the wings are releasedfrom the restraining action of the holding means, a supporting stemhingedly connected to the wings and foldable therebetween to one extremeposition and movable therefrom to its other extreme or wing supportingposition, and a clip gripping means for holding the stem in the lastnamed position against accidental displacement.

4. A signal device including hingedly connected wings, an indicatingmeans thereon adapted, to

be exposed when the wings are unfolded, meansfor holding the wingsfolded together, means for automatically unfolding the wings to exposethe indicating means when the wings are released from the restrainingaction of the holding means,

a supporting stem hingedly connected to the wings and foldabletherebetween to one extreme position and movable therefrom to its otherextreme or wing supporting position, a clip gripping means.

for holding the stem-in the last named position against accidentaldisplacement and'a step upon the" stem. i I

. JARBE'I'I HIRAM; BURDEN.

